Engine-starter.



W. E. SNIPES.

ENGINE STARTER. 7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30. I916.

imam Patented May15,1917.

gnve'ntoz WILLIAM E. SNIPES, OF ROXBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

ENGIN -STARTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 15, rear.

Application filed June 30, 1916. Serial N 0. 106,820.

To all whom it may conoem Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. 8 m,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Roxboro, in the county of Person and State of North Carolina, have invented certain.

cylinders and valves adapted to be operated by compressed air.

A further object is to provide means for operatively connecting said cylinders to a power shaft.

A further object is to provide a pair of gears upon said shaft adapted to cooperate with a gear of the engine shaft.

" And a further object is to provide means for moving either of said gears'into engagement with the gear of the engine shaft.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly.

pointed "out in the accompanying specification.

In the. accompanying drawing, The figure represents a diagrammatic view of the motor showing the cylinders and valves cooperating therewith in section.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a motor, preferably of the internal combustion type and which may be constructed in the usual, or any preferred manner, said motor having a driving shaft 2 connected therewith in the usual manner, the forward end of the shaft being arranged to receive the usual form of starting crank 3, while the opposite end of the driving shaft extends into engagement with the parts to be driven thereby.

In order to mechanically rotate the driving shaft 2 in order to'start the motor, a bevel gear 4 is attached to the shaft 2 adjacent one end of the motor with which. coop-- crates a gear 5 carried by a crossshaft 6, said shaft and gear 5 having a spline 7 coiipe'rating therewith so that the gear 5 may readily move lengthwise of the cross shaft and be driven to start the motor.

at the same time be caused to rotate therewith, the gear 5 being moved into mesh with the bevel gear 4 when the shaft 2 is to A second gear .8 is likewise slidably mounted on the cross shaft 6 at the opposite side of the driving shaft from that occupied by the gear 5, said gear being caused to rotate'with the cross shaft 6 by means of a spline 9, the

second gear 8 being employed for reversing the rotation of the cross shaft 6 when desired.

The shaft 6 is provided adjacent its ends with crank portions 10 and 11 with which engage pitmen l2 and 13 respectively, the

opposite ends of said pitr'nen being attached to cylinder shafts 14 and 15,which in turn coiiperate with cylinders 16 and '17. The cylinders 16-and 17 have mounted therein pistons 18 and 19 which are attached to the cylinder shafts 14 and 15 respectively and operate therewith, the pistons being reciprocated within the cylinders by discharging compressed air, or other propelling means into the cylinders, said cylinders having valve casings 20 and 21 with which connect pipes 22 and 23 extending from a tank 24.

The air is admitted tothe opposite ends of the cylinders 16 and 17 through ports 25, 26, 2-7 and 28 which are controlled by sliding valves 29 and 30, said valves also 0061;)- erating with exhaust ports 31 and 32, whereby when the compressed air ispassing through one of the ports into one end of the cylinders the expanded air is escaping from the opposite end of the. cylinders through the opposite ports, the sliding valves coiipcrating therewith and the exhaust ports in said cylinders.

- The slide valves 29 and 30 are eccentrically attached to fly wheels 33 and 34: carried by the cross shaft 6, through the medium of eccentricshafts 3,5 and 36, said shafts being formed in sections and hinged together so that the portions thereof engaging the valves and sliding through the valve casings will move in a straight line when op-. erating, while the remaining portions of the as is common in structures of this class, the eccentrics on the respective fly wheels being so arranged that when one valve is making a forward stroke, the other is making a rearward stroke and the cran portions 10 andw-ll are so arranged that the piston cooperatingtvith the forwargjlly moving valve eccentric shafts will have a rocking motion, 1- v will 'be moved rearwardly and the opposite entering the valve casing 21, will piston moved forwardly.

The gears 5 and 8 are operated simultaneously by attaching a yoke 87 to the hubs of said gears, said yoke being shifted back and forth through the medium of a lever 38 which extends upwardly into convenient reach of the operator, said gears being a suflicient distance apart so that when the yoke has been moved half its distance longi tudinally in either direction both gears will be disengaged from the bevel gear 4, thereby leaving the cross shaft and parts connected thereto idle.

In operating the starting device for rotating the driving shaft of the motor, the lever 38 is thrown over until the gear 5 meshes with the gear 4, when air is released from the tank 24into the valve casings 20 and 21, and in this instance, the air will pass from the casing 20 through the port 25. into the outer end of the'cylinder 15, while the air ass through the port 28 into the inner en of the cylinder, and upon the admission of the air into said cylinders, the pistons 18 and 19 will be reciprocated and motion imparted to the driving-shaft 2 through the cross shaft 6 and gears 4: and 5.

As soon as the motor has been started the gear 5 is moved out of engagement with the vgear 4, andif it is desired to recharge the tank 24 with a new supply of air, the lever I 38 is thrown over until the gear 8 is in mesh with the bevel gear 4, thereby reversing the 1. The combination with a motor, a driv- I ing shaft connected to the motor, and a bevel gear on said driving shaft, of a cross shaft, a pair of gears slidably mounted on said cross shaft and rotatable therewith, said gears being positioned on opposite sides of the driving shaft, means to move either of said gears into engagement with" the bevel gear for'rotating the cross shaft in either direction, crank portions in said cross shaft,

fly Wheels connected to said shaft, pistons ing said valves, and means to convey pro pelling medium into said valve casings whereby the pistons will be operated and the cross shaft rotated in one direction for starting the motor. I

2. The combination with a motor, a driving shaft and a beveled gear on said driving shaft, of a cross shaft having crank portions, fly wheels at each end of the cross shaft, pistons connected to said crank portions, cylinders incasing said pistons, said cylinders having inlet and exhaust ports, valve casings on said cylinders, valves slidably mounted in said casings adapted to control the admission and exhaust of the power medium in said cylinders, means to eccentrically attach, the valves to said fly wheels, a tank for containing the propelling medium, means to connect the tank with said valve. casings, a, gear on the cross shaft adapted to be moved into'engagement with the bevel gear for rotating the motor, a second gear on said cross shaft adaptedto be moved into engagement with said bevel :name to this'specification in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

Witnesses: D. W. BRADSHER, R. WINSTEAD.

copies or this patent may be obtained for the cents each; by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. v

- WILLIAM E. SNIPES. 

